Vehicle-spring.



B. L. RINEHART.

VEHICLE SPRING.

APPLICATION FILED mum, 191a.

1,094,81 5, Patented Apr. 28, 191 4.

la. 1 I

T D sans earner BENTLEY L. BINEHART, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

VEHIGLE-SPRDIG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filedJune 7, 1913. Serial No. 772,235.

are fastened at the middle to the axle of the vehicle and at the ends to the movable body by links or hinges.

The object of my invention is to-provide means to counteract or absorb the shock of the'recoil of a spring of this kind, and this I accomplish by providing the lower por-' tion of the spring with a recoil resisting portion separate from the upper or sustaining portion, but connected at its-ends by flexible connections with the ends of themeper or sustaining portion, so that when the upper or sustaining portion of the spring recoils it will lace the lower portion under tension and t us resist the recoil.

Preferably the recoil resisting portion of the spring is composed of a plurality of metal leaves of different lengths and curvature secured together at the middle but having their ends separated from one another so as to form intervening spaces between adjacent leaves with the ends of the lowermost leaf connected as described with the ends of the upper sustaining portion of the spring. The tension of the lower or recoil portion of the spring is thus proportional to the extent of the recoil according to the number of leaves which arebrought into action, as, is described hereinafter. I prefer to also form the upper ,or sustaining portion of the spring in a similar manner of leaves ofdiiferent length and curvature so that the sustaining portion of the spring in action is proportional to the load, only those leaves coming into action which are necessary to sustain the load imposed upon them. It is to be understood, however, that I do not mean to limit my invention in these respects provided the spring embraces an upper sustaining portion and a lower recoil resisting portion connected together at the middle and at the outer ends so that the lower recoil resisting portion will be put under tension on the recoil of the upper sustaining portion.

in the preferred form with the axle shown in sectionyFig. 2 is an inverted plan view of the same; and Fig. 3 is an end elevation.

The spring comprises an upper sustainmg portion connected at the middle with the axle b and at its ends with the frame f of the body of the vehicle, and a lower, recoil resisting portion also connected at the middle with the axle b and having its ends connected by the flexible connections p with the ends of the upper sustaining portion.

In the preferred construction shown the upper sustaining portion is composed of a' plurality of leaves a, a, a a, a a fatetened together at the center but otherwise unconnected, and the lower, or recoil resisting portion, is similarly composed of a plurality of leaves a a, a a? fastened together at the center with the leaves forming the upper portion. Each leaf is a complete spring in itself, and is preferably made of sheet metal of uniform thickness, wide at the middle and tapering toward the ends. The narrowing of the leaves from the center toward the ends makes each leaf a perfect spring throughout, the width at any point being proportional to the length from the center. There is consequently a perfect spring action at all points, which would not be the case ifthe leaves were of uniform width or weight of metal throughout their length. The leaves are of different length and curvature, those in the upper portion curving" upward while those in the lower portion curve downward. The radius of curvature in each direction increases toward the outermost leaf, and an intermediate leaf, as (f, may be horizontal. The result isthat the leaves assume a fan-like disposition with each leaf separated from its neighbors at the outer portions. The spring thus formed is fastened at the middle to the axle b, in any suitable manner, as by clips 0 and bolts (l. The topmost leaf is attached at its ends, as by the links 6, to the frame 7 of the upper body of the vehicle, and is also attached by a suitable flexible connect-ion, such as a strap 1, or chain, with the ends of the lowermost clown-curved spring, as a,

Patented Apr. 28, 1914. v

supporting which is elongated as shown for this pur- 7 aphasia spring is capable of sustaining a proportional weight. As the load increases beyond the power of the upper leaf (1 to susta1n it, that leaf is forced into contact with the second leaf a and the two leaves a and a then act together as a spring to sustain the load, and as the load increases additional leaves are similarly brought into act on and the spring power is increased relatively to the load, At no time, however, are more leaves or spring members in action than the load actually requires. A great advantage of this construction is that more springs may be used than the normal maximum load requires. These extra leaves do not decrease the resiliency of the spring under normal condition, but are present to come into ac tion as shock-absorbers under abnormal conditions, when the vehicle strikes a bump on depression in the road. 0n the other hand the lowermost leaves, which do not come into action under the ordinary conditions on the depression of the spring act as shockabsorbers on the recoil. When the spring recoils the ends of the upper leaf a rise above their normal position, and owing to their connections with the lower leaf or, they place that leaf under tension to resist the movement of the leaf a, thus reducing the movement and the shock of the recoil. If the recoil is greater than the power of the lower leaf a to absorb it, that leaf is lifted into contact with the next leaf a and the two leaves a and a then act together as a spring to resist the recoil, and additional leaves are similarly brought into action in proportion to the extent of movement of the spring a.

When the straps 70, or flexible connections, between the upper and lower leaves are adjusted for the normal load of the vehicle, the recoil of the upper leaf 0 is always resisted by the leaf a, and the resistance offered by the lower leaves is proportional to the extent of movement of the upper spring in recoiling. It follows that at no time, on the flattening either of the upper or sustaining portion. of the spring, or of the lower or recoil absorbing portion of the spring need there be brought into action a greater portion of the spring than is necessary to sustain the load. and to absorb the resulting recoil. Qwing to the flexible character of the connections between the sustaining portion and recoil absorbing portion of the spring, the latter does not in any way afiect the sustaining power of the spring under depression, but comes into action only as a shock absorber on the recoil.

What 1 claim is as follows:

1. A vehicle-spring consisting of a plurality of leaves of difierent length and curvature secured together at the middle but having their ends separated from one an other so as to form intervening spaces between adjacent leaves, the ends of one of the upper leaves being connected with the ends of one of the lower leaves, whereby said lower leaf will be placed under tension upon the recoil of the upper leaf with which it is connected.

2. A vehicle-spring consisting of a plurality of leaves of different length and curvature secured together at the middle but having their ends separated from one another so as to form intervening spaces between adjacent leaves, said spring being fastened at the middle to the axle of the vehicle and at the ends of the upper leaf only to the body of the vehicle, the ends of the upper leaf having a. flexible connection with the ends of one of the lower leaves, whereby said lower leaf will be placed under tension upon the recoil of the upper leaf with which it is connected.

3. A vehicle-spring consisting of a plurality of leaves of different length and curvature secured together at the middle but having their ends separated from one another so as to form intervening spaces between adjacent leaves, the ends of one of the upper leaves being connected by a flexible connection with the ends of one of the lower leaves whereby said lower leaf will be placed under tension upon the recoil of the upper leaf with which it is connected.

4. A vehicle-spring consisting of a plurality of leaves of difierent length and curvature secured together at the middle but having their ends separated from one another so as to form intervening spaces between ad jacent leaves, the upper leaves curving upwardly and the lower leaves curving downwardly and the ends of one of the upper leaves being connected with the ends of one of the lower leaves whereby said lower leaf will be placed under tension on the recoil of the upper leaf with which it is connected.

5. A vehicle-spring consisting of a plurality of leaves of different length and curvature secured together at the middle but having their ends separated from one another so as to form intervening spaces between adjacent leaves, the upper leaves curving upwardly and the lower leaves curving downwardly and the ends of the topmost leaf being connected with the ends of the lower most leaf, whereby said lower leaf will be placed under tension on the recoil of the upper leaf with which it is connected.

6. A vehicle-spring consisting of a plurah ity of leaves of difi'erent length and curvature decreasing in width from the center toward the ends and secured together at the middle but having their ends separated from one another so as to form intervening spaces between adjacent leaves, the upper leaves curving upwardly and the ends of one of the upper leaves being connected with the ends of one of the lower leaves, whereby said connected.

7. A vehicle-spring embracing an upper sustaining portion and a lower recoil resisting portion, said portions being connected together at the middle and at their outer ends by a flexible connection, whereby the lower recoil resisting portion is put under tension on the recoil of the upper sustaining portion, said lower recoil resisting portion eing composed of a plurality of leaves of diflerent curvature.

8. A vehicle-spring embracing an upper sustaining portion and a lower recoil resisting' portion, said portions being connected together at the middle and at their outer ends by a flexible connection, whereby the lower recoil resisting portion is put under tension on the recoil of the upper sustaining portion, each of said portions being composed of a plurality of leaves of different curvature.

9.. A vehicle-spring embracing an upper sustaining portion and a lower recoil resisting portion, said portions being connected together at the middle and at their outer ends by a flexible connection, whereby the lower recoil resisting portion is put under tension on the recoil of the upper sustaining portion, each of said portions being composed of a plurality of leaves of different curvature and length.

In testimony of which invention, 1 hereunto set my hand.

BENTLEY L. RINEHART.

Witnesses:

R. M. KELLY, ERNEST HOWARD HUNTER. 

